Originally, the area of the district was populated by
Finnic peoples, until eventually, the Slavs began arriving. After the 9th century, the area east of the Luga River was dependent on the
Novgorod Republic (from the 15th century, the
Grand Duchy of Moscow). In 1384, the
Yam fortress was founded to protect the western borders. Eventually, the lands between the Luga and the Narva were claimed by Russia as well, and in 1492
Ivan III founded the
Ivangorod Fortress on the right bank of the Narva. The fortress is still considered to be the piece of art of fortification. The area was constantly at the frontier and became the battleground between Germans and Swedes, on one side, and Russians, on the other side. After the war between Russia and Sweden, the
Treaty of Teusina in 1595 transferred the area to Russia. In 1617, according to the
Treaty of Stolbovo, the area was transferred to Sweden, and in the 1700s, during the
Great Northern War, it was conquered back by Russia. In the course of the
administrative reform carried out in 1708 by
Peter the Great, the area was included into Ingermanland Governorate (known since 1710 as
Saint Petersburg Governorate). It was later included into
Yamburgsky Uyezd with the administrative center in Yamburg. In 1780, part of the area was transferred into newly established
Narvsky Uyezd of Saint Petersburg Governorate. In 1796, Narvsky Uyezd was abolished and merged into Yamburgsky Uyezd. The governorate was renamed Petrograd in 1914 and Leningrad in 1924. In May 1922, Yamburg was renamed Kingisepp, and Yamburgsky Uyezd was renamed Kingiseppsky, to commemorate
Viktor Kingissepp. On August 1, 1927, the uyezds were abolished and Kingiseppsky District, with the administrative center in the town of Kingisepp, was established. The governorates were also abolished, and the district was a part of
Leningrad Okrug of
Leningrad Oblast. It included parts of former Kingiseppsky Uyezd. On July 23, 1930, the okrugs were abolished as well, and the districts were directly subordinated to the oblast. Between March 22, 1935 and September 19, 1940, the district was a part of
Kingisepp Okrug of Leningrad Oblast, one of the okrugs abutting the state boundaries of the Soviet Union. After Kingisepp Okrug was abolished, Kigisepp became a town of oblast significance. In 1940, the islands in the Gulf of Finland (including Gogland and Moshchny), which previously belonged to
Viipuri Province of
Finland and were ceded to the Soviet Union following the
Winter War, were transferred to Kingiseppsky District. In 2010, the administrative division of Leningrad Oblast was harmonized with the municipal division, and Kingisepp was made the town of district significance. The areas adjacent to the Narva River, including the town of Ivangorod, were assigned to Estonia in 1920, following the
Estonian War of Independence and the
Treaty of Tartu, signed on February 2, 1920. On November 24, 1944 this area was transferred to Leningrad Oblast and shared between Slantsevsky (south) and Kingiseppsky (north) Districts. Another district established on August 1, 1927 was
Osminsky District with the administrative center in the
selo of
Osmino. It was a part of
Luga Okrug of Leningrad Oblast. It included areas which were previously parts of
Gdovsky,
Luzhsky, and Kingiseppsky Uyezds. On July 23, 1930, the okrugs were abolished, and the districts were directly subordinated to the oblast. Between March 22, 1935 and September 19, 1940, Osminsky District was a part of Kingisepp Okrug of Leningrad Oblast. Between August 1941, and February 1944, Osminsky District was occupied by German troops. On August 2, 1961 Osminsky District was abolished and split between Slantsevsky and Volosovsky Districts. After the abortive administrative reform of the 1960s, its territory became split between Slantsevsky, Volosovsky, Luzhsky, and Kingiseppsky Districts. ==Restricted access==